ok. I have a question.

phil

phil

Street Tracker
So, my buddie emails me about ALL these problem that this triumph has, ie( battery charging problem , front end wobble, tire premature wear and the chrome chipping off.) one more thing the brake sticking after 5000k.... So here my question is this some that is just folk lore , or is it something a person with a new bonnie should be worried about. I know the guy cares about me (in a man way) , but I'm getting a lil sick of him telling me this.... so if any body has some answers let me know. I 'm sure there lemons in everything but this seems to much, did I mention he rides a Harley.... . :confused: it almost hurt my feelings...(u know).. I"ve haven't even got the the bike home and theres people picking it apart. thanks for time guys.
 
buckstoy

buckstoy

Street Tracker
I've got about 8500 miles on mine without a lick of trouble, just change the oil and filter and go. Oh yeah I had to change the tires at ~6000 miles.
 
Kirkus51

Kirkus51

Hooligan
is the guy a gay pirate, or is he just worried that once you start riding your Bonnie this Summer that's he's going to lose you as a riding buddy or what? As far as my riding my Black around, it gets more ogles per mile than any other bike I've ever owned. Dead realiable, fast enough, good handling and keeps the grin on my chin longer than any bike in my memory.

Your friend wants you to get a harley and be Miserable with him. Get a Bonnie and outhandle him or get a Rocket 3 and out speed him. Ferchrissakes don't get a harley and be just like him.:mad2:
 
Texas94fs

Texas94fs

Hooligan
22 thousand miles in just over 2 years, only problem was a rear wheel bearing that was fixed under warranty. Those weren't 22 thousand light use miles either.
 
D

darksider4570

Scooter
In 15k I've broken the speedometer cable (replaced under warranty). other than that i just change the oil and ride the hell out of it.
 
Bonafide

Bonafide

NBR founder
4 new Triumph Bonnies (currently 3) in our garage. 10k to 40k miles on each. You're buddy is a chicken little hypochondriac who wants you to buy the same genre of bike he has (see: man crush) - if not - tell him you're now gonna buy a BMW and see what he says. Bonnies are about as problematic as an anvil ....
 
cynr1023

cynr1023

TT Racer
27K-ish and no "major" troubles, broken clutch cable(my fault) and a fuel issue that the dealer fixed within the first month of owning, other than that it's been fuses, tires, sprockets and chains; all normal wear and tear shit.

oh, and for your bikes sake, don't listen to your buddy or his mechanic or dealer when you get her home. Read the manual, talk to the dealer and mechanic at the Triumph shop and ask around here, because we may not have met you, but I'm pretty sure we give more of a fuck about you and your bike than your "run-of-the-mill" "other bike" rider.
 
Last edited:
em_dot

em_dot

Street Tracker
Only about 3,500 miles on mine. Not the slightest problem.

So your buddy has said his peace and you've listened. Now you've made your decision. Next time he mentions it, thank him for his opinion, remind him that you did listen to him, but that you have decided to stay with the Bonnie... and that's that.

If you let it go any further, he'll just try and manipulate you. I don't know why people do this, and frankly I don't care. Anyway, I would just end the drama and move on.

The guy that I ride with primarily rides an '07 Dyna. We enjoy riding together and hanging out. We don't have these issues. Maybe it helps that he has a ''68 Bonnie and that he's British!

JMHO.
 
Nick Morey

Nick Morey

Rocker
My Bonnie has been one of the most reliable bikes I have owned, period. I do believe 90% of the people here will say the same thing. Not gonna get into issues with your buddy (don't know his motivations or where he is getting his information). I do know issues you mentioned ARE NOT the norm for this bike!
 
D

drlapo

Hooligan
4 "new" Triumphs and only minor problems that were fixed under warranty: blown light bulb, weak shift spring
and my 79 T140 is still running strong
 
koifarm

koifarm

Hooligan
Or

Bonafide said:
4 new Triumph Bonnies (currently 3) in our garage. 10k to 40k miles on each. You're buddy is a chicken little hypochondriac who wants you to buy the same genre of bike he has (see: man crush) - if not - tell him you're now gonna buy a BMW and see what he says. Bonnies are about as problematic as an anvil ....
Click to expand...

You could always buy an old Ural and really learn maintenance and tool wrangling....
I've never had the first problem with Bonnie, nada, nothing......good mechanically...put together with chopsticks but meticulous QC at the manufacturing level makes for a good solid well engineered bike.....
 
zmilin

zmilin

Street Tracker
a bit over 20K miles on my 07 America (since March of 07)...no issues with the bike.
I did have my second front tire cup, prob due to a bad tire as the replacement didn't cup.

Heres the thing....theres always a possibility of issues with a vehicle. The new bikes have far less issues than the old leaky ones from the 70s, 60s etc...OH wait....didn't most bikes from those eras leak!

Ill share one other story...the Blue/Wht America I was looking at (passed on it for a black one) was sold to a guy in my area. Turns out that bike had a bad gearbox. Replaced under warranty.

Im sure theres been a Harley or two that have had issues right out of the crate as there prob were Hondas, Yamahas, Ducatis etc...thing is if its going to have an issue it'll most likely be out of the crate and under warranty.

Stop worrying and ride.

Hmmm....one other share point. Not a bike but my 00 Montero Sport (notorious for bad trannys and shit tons of other issues) has 300K on it and aside from basic maintenance has been trouble free. You just never know.
 
KingBear

KingBear

Hooligan
phil said:
So, my buddie emails me about ALL these problem that this triumph has, ie( battery charging problem , front end wobble, tire premature wear and the chrome chipping off.) one more thing the brake sticking after 5000k...
Click to expand...
What is "this Triumph" your friend is referring to? And why are the problems being brought to his attention? Does it belong to some other rider of his acquaintance, or is he just looking around on various forums for anecdotal grievances?

We have as good a cross-section of Triumph owners on this forum as you are likely to find anywhere, including riders from across the country and around the world. The ONLY common bitches I have heard about the Bonneville series of bikes are:

  • Broken spokes, which were attributed to the design of the wheel hub and has since been resolved with a new hub design. No more problems.
  • Gas cap difficult to remove, which is due to riders cranking it down too tight. Get a brain and some muscles, or just buy a Monza gas cap.
  • Uncomfortable seat. This is a legitimate complaint. Oh well!
  • Runs too quietly. Aftermarket pipes available.
I have been on the most popular Triumph boards for over four years now, keeping up with the latest news on a daily basis, and many others here have as well for as long or longer than myself. If these problems your "buddie" mentions were widespread problems we would know about it. These bikes are solid, durable, and basically over-built for what they are meant to do. They're bullet proof.

You can tell your friend for me I think his rant against the Bonneville is...

bullshit.jpg
 
Last edited:
Goin-Commando

Goin-Commando

Street Tracker
KingBear said:
What is "this Triumph" your friend is referring to?

You can tell your friend for me I think his rant against the Bonneville is...

bullshit.jpg
Click to expand...


:lol3: Yeah, what he said...

Have an 07 with over 11 thou on it and it still runs sweet (none of the problems mentioned).
(I think most of the spoke problems were before 06 and covered under warrenty.)
 
tooblekain

tooblekain

750cc
Just over 22,300 miles in 23 months with my 2007 Bonneville. Here were my list of problems:

leaking cam cover gasket at around 3,000 miles...replaced under warranty
bright lights dash light went out close to 10,000 miles...replaced under warranty


Maintenance items done:
Oil and filter change (used Rotella T5W40 and at times regular Rotella 15w40) every 3500-5000 miles.
Tires replaced to Avon Roadriders AM26s at 10,000 miles
Brake pads replaced at 21,000 miles (I think I hold the record for the longest miles travelled with the original straight out of the factory brake pads)
Carbs balanced (finally) at 21,500 miles


You're friend for suggesting otherwise......:T...........:homo: (j/k about your friend)
 
Last edited:
sanjuro

sanjuro

Two Stroke
a Harley guy telling you Bonnies are mechanically unreliable? :lol:

Seriously, the most difficult thing you should have to do to the Bonnie is the valve check at the first 12k miles (and I believe every 12k thereafter). If anything, the Bonnie has probably given me a false sense of confidence in my maintenance skills as most issues are pretty easy to take care of yourself.

I also had a good laugh at a guy saying chrome chipping is an issue that makes a bike one to avoid...why polish chrome when you can ride?

I'll admit I'm a bit biased against HDs, South Park pretty much nailed my opinion on Harley guys...
http://www.southparkstudios.com/episodes/251889/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top